TITLE 16

Health and Safety

Local Boards of Health; Health Programs

CHAPTER 1. DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND SOCIAL SERVICES

Subchapter III. Pathological and Bacteriological Laboratory

§ 141 Establishment and supervision.

The Secretary or the Secretary's designee may establish and supervise a pathological and bacteriological laboratory and equip it with any appliances necessary to make it safe and reliable. It shall be used to accomplish any or all means of protecting the citizens of the State against the spread of disease.

The Pathologist and Bacteriologist shall conduct the routine work of the laboratory and shall make all examinations and analyses, etc., that may be necessary under the direction of the Secretary or the Secretary's designee for all the purposes that may be required to fully execute the intent of this chapter. This section shall not be so construed as to interrupt or limit the power of full control and management of the laboratory by the Secretary or the Secretary's designee.

§ 144 Medical practitioners to report contagious diseases; use of laboratory for examination and diagnosis; other uses.

(a) All physicians, dentists, veterinary surgeons or others practicing medicine or surgery or any branch thereof under the laws of this State shall be required to give prompt notice to the local or Division of Public Health of any and all cases of contagious or infectious disease that may come under their professional notice and shall have free access to the work of the laboratory for the determination of the diagnosis of any doubtful or suspicious case, by forwarding (prepaid) a sufficient sample of urine, blood, sputum or other substance of such case to the Pathologist and Bacteriologist for examination. The Pathologist and Bacteriologist shall examine the substance so sent and report to the physician, dentist or others sending the same the result of the examination without any unnecessary delay and without further charge. The physician, dentist or others shall report the result immediately as required by this subsection.

(b) The Department of Health and Social Services may also make full provisions for the free use of the laboratory for the examination of any matter or substance so as to determine the diagnosis of diseases neither contagious nor infectious, and either local or constitutional and for the examination of water or food supply for any citizen of the State.

The Pathologist and Bacteriologist, whenever requested by the Attorney General, shall make any and all examinations of any person or persons or any organ or organs or any part or parts of any person or persons with the view of determining the cause or causes of death and make a prompt report without charge to the State or any county thereof.